Ever felt you may have failed?

[Lois McCullough]

I have definitely failed, my seventh IS and I admit it I have no control. This is not something I admit to easily however Micawber and Hamilton came back from their holiday home on Saturday evening and as you know IS do not amble indoors they tear through like some sort of tornado. Sunday was a pleasant day and they were presented with their new beds 'yummy says Hamilton nice and thick just what I need' even Micawber at 18 months curled up on his.

Monday a different story Micawber got bored and while we were working in the office his bed became fair game he must have spent at least 1 hour making a large hole so he could pull every ounce of stuffing out and when I arrived back there he was sitting in the middle as pleased as punch and as if that wasn't bad enough he had also emptied and torn a box of tissues.

The trouble is it's the eyes that have it just one look and you give in or maybe Micawber is just a very naughty and mischievous boy and such a joy to have around never a dull moment.

 

[Sheree Parrish]

Oh I know just how you feel...when I met Clive he wasn't really a doggy person, but he came to love Leon and now he and Henry have a close bond...so much so that he invested over £40 on a lovely soft fleecy dog bed for Hen..against my better judgement as I had a feeling he would chew it. 

It lasted one day, I came down from a bath to find the entire bottom of it chewed out and the remaining sides draped round him like a hula dancer...I was frantically trying to put it back together but he thought he would have a tug of war as I was doing so.  Needless to say, Clive appeared moments later with a not too impressed look on his face!

There have been a couple of other incidents that I have managed to hide from Clive...if I'm quick I can get things into the utility room bin without Clive noticing...cheque books, post it notes, pens, spectacles etc all seem to go walkabout in the office...only myself and Henry know the real truth lol

I don't think you have failed...I think it just goes with the territory of owning a setter :-)

[Delia Bryce]

"only myself and henry know the real truth" I so recognise that but would change it to Murph .... Such a loving breed with those brown eyes that melt you and they dont understand what £40 means as after all we give the bed to them ....... sometimes I watch Murphy and he seems to want to feel and smell something but maybe gets carried away ....! I put it down to that anyway !

[Dixie Cruise]

Your only failure, perhaps, is to be even remotely surprised by the "behavior" (the word being derived from BEHAVE requires that I use quotes!!!) that you describe.  :)  That you express your story with love and understanding means you could never be a failure to us on this site, that's for sure!

[Howard Glansfield]

I discovered how much foam there is in a foam pillow courtesy of one of my dogs.An unbelievable amount and Bobby just sat there looking immensely proud! I was out of the room for no more than 5 minutes!

[Ossian]

You are SO sunk Lois. You wll have to rescind your  I hart IS proficiency badge and get a chee wha wha!!

[Sue and Cash]

a chee wha wha  ROFL!!

[Teresa]

Beds are the worst nightmare of a setter owner if you ask me!

My girls only like the tiniest beds possible... they keep stealing my cocker's bed (luckily the cocker prefers big beds)

I gave up on expensive beds a long time ago, now i just go with lots and lots of cheap ones :)

There was only one expensive bed that lasted - Pitanga loved it, I loved it, it was really confy and it looked good in the living room - none of my dogs ever tried to destroy it and i was sooooooo happy with them. Then one day my horse got loose and that was the end of the amazing bed's life. My doggy bed actually got eaten by a horse... I considered that as a sign that no expensive bed would ever survive :)

 

[Melinda Auld]

Irish Setters and dog beds have never been successfully paired, at this house lol.  I have lost count of the number of mats, blankets, doonas, quilts and mattresses mine have ripped apart.  Just when I thought mine had all out-grown it, my new girl arrived and has resurrected the practice with a vengeance.  The dog room is covered - this very moment - with mountains of white fluff and shreds of torn fabric.  She seems very happy with her creation, however, and is curled up asleep in the middle of it.

[Peter Hennig]

I wish I had a picture to show ,Years ago our first IS was ok to leave alone once a day but twice meant revenge!!!   my wife came home and thought we had been ransacked there was not an inch of floor not covered in something. He pulled out everything from the kitchen cupboards plastic containers, pots pans he unraveled an enormous pile of wool (without breaking any strands which was unbelievable) he pulled out my electric guitar and chewed the hard case top off I mean there was nothing left except splinters, pillows, cushions ripped to bits.We always wished we had a video camera running it would have taken him hours of feverish effort. 

The same dog ripped the carpet in half at my parents back room and brought in every piece of pruning from the trees outside........ and I cried bitterly when he died at 11 no matter what they do those big dark eyes enslave you

[Lois McCullough]

Thank you for all your wonderful comments and it's so nice to know I am not totally alone in my FAILURE to 'encourage' good behaviour. Do you think it is a certain type of personality that chooses an IS over and above any other breed, now there really is food for thought!! I must when I have the chance look at other breed websites to see if I can see myself with a non red, less than interesting 'pooch' I know the answer I'll be back for more of the 'Reds'

[Sheree Parrish]

I should have mentioned that Henry is an English Setter...I've had both the English and the Irish and always found the English to be naughtier...the trouble is, they all have those deep brown eyes that can be forgiven anything when they stare for long enough.

I'm hoping to get another irish at some time...I keep telling my hubby it will be a doddle...famous last words eh? :-)

[Geraldine Gaul]

When I first attended puppy training classes I got a lot of sympathy from other dog owners because JD was so lively and energetic and full of mischief.  After I explained that he is my third Irish Setter they commented that I must be mad to keep getting another one, I agreed with them untill I looked at his big soppy face and beautifull big brown eyes and now I feel sorry for them that they wil never experience the absolute joy of owning a free spirited setter.